For many years it has been realized by various persons that walls and studs made primarily of wood have serious drawbacks. One reason for this is the high cost of lumber. Other reasons include labor costs, lack of resistance to termites, etc. Despite the need for moving away from wooden studs and associated building components, a satisfactory building system, that is non-wooden, has not been achieved in conventional housing.
To be satisfactory, it is necessary that the building system include components that can be readily handled by one worker. It is necessary that the system be such that workers--who are normally accustomed to wooden walls--can adapt to it with ease. And, it is highly necessary that the components of the system be manufacturable at low cost but with high strength and high quality. It is necessary that the contractor on the job be able to obtain a reasonable profit margin while still delivering to the home owner a very well-built wall and house.